By Chris Crass
On the 3rd anniversary of Trayvon Martin being murdered by George Zimmerman, here’s a poem I wrote soon after the verdict clearing all charges was announced Continue reading “To Nourish and Sustain Us: A Poem on the Third Anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s Murder”
By Chris Lowe
I have this argument with certain Hegelian fundamentalist Marxist friends who deprecate so called identity politics as incompatible with and alternative to class politics. Continue reading “Are All Politics Identity Politics?”
By Phoenix Calida
I’m baffled why people think saying we live in a male centric society is “silly” or “far fetched”.
Everything in our society was created to cater to men, specifically white, upper class, able-bodied, cis, hetero men. Continue reading “Male Centric Society So Obvious, It’s Painful”
By Phoenix Calida
Aside from the blatant abuse and rape in the 50 Shades story, I can’t help but think there’s so many other indicators of how we view women and sex.
I think what bugs me is the utter infantilization of women’s agency and sexuality that 50 Shades represents. Women aren’t entitled to fuck like adults, women are not entitled to consent, or entitled to being the focus of a sexual encounter. Enjoyment is negotiable, and in the end, you’re supposed to be grateful for a lackluster sexual encounter (or possible rape).
Can we just accept that women like sex, some women like bdsm, and that’s ok?
Women are capable of informed consent and adult worthy sexual encounters and adult worthy erotica. Actual well written, sexy, healthy relationship erotica. Women are capable of fucking like adults, can we perhaps start producing porn and erotica that reflects this agency??
Mark Naison
Today, America’s young people face the gravest threat they have confronted since the Vietnam War. In the 60’s, their lives were endangered by a Bi-Partisan military initiative destined to fail. Today, their minds are threatened by a Bi-Partisan educational initiative that Is squeezing creativity and joy out of the nation’s public schools. Continue reading “One, Two, Three, What are We Fighting For?” A Parent/Student/Teacher Manifesto”
By Christian Matheis
Imagine you hold a particular place truly sacred.
Perhaps a town, or a building, or a region.
Let’s give the image a bit of life. The place, your most cherished, holds sacred for your community. As the sine qua non – that without which nothing else in your life can matter – you consider it holy, divine, hallowed. Continue reading “What’s the Retail of Two Cities?”
By Mark Naison
In virtually every urban center in the nation, there is a concerted effort, supported by a cross section of the business community, to dismantle urban public schools and replace them with charter schools. Continue reading “Why School Reform is an Irresistible Strategy of Urban Development for Economic Elites”
By Alexander Riccio
In Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology David Graeber dedicates some time to the historical development of current anarchistic societies within Madagascar, which he explains happened as an insurrectionary response to the unsuspecting Malagasy government. Continue reading “Fantasy Might Make Another World Possible”
By Phoenix Calida
The problem with reverse -isms (racism, sexism, etc) is that they imply everyone is starting from an equal place. Of course, members of marginalized groups can be bigoted or prejudiced. But marginalized groups don’t have the same structural ability to behave oppressively. Continue reading “Oppression Doesn’t Go Both Ways”
By Mark Naison
The Charter School Model for achieving education equity, as applied in cities ranging from New Orleans, to Chicago, to Camden, to Memphis, to Buffalo and Washington DC, involves several problematic features: Continue reading “Seven Problems with the Charter School Model for Achieving Education Equity”
By Jesseanne Pope
As part of OSU’s celebration of MLK, I attended a screening of the film Anne Braden: Southern Patriot. This film takes us on a journey through the life of Anne Braden, a southern white woman who worked for racial equality during the Civil Rights Movement. Continue reading “The Lessons of Anne Braden: Learning to be an ally for social justice”
